By Charles Kumolu

The EMERGENCE  of  some of the country’s greatest professionals  from the Niger Delta is a pointer to the immense deposit of human resources in the region, Coordinator of the Ijaw Monitoring Group, Comrade Joseph Evah said yesterday.

Evah spoke when he led a group of Niger Delta indigenes on a courtesy call on Vanguard publisher, Mr. Sam Amuka, just as Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Media Limited restated the newspaper’s commitment to the struggle for equity and justice in the country.

Members of the Women Wing of Niger Delta Peoples Forum.

Evah used the opportunity to present Mr. Amuka a souvenir to mark his 80th birthday.

Describing Amuka as a symbol of the struggle for equity and justice, Evah said:

‘’In this country we have produced distinguished people in different fields and you are one of them. We produced the first Professor of English Professor in Nigeria, the first commissioned officer in the Nigerian Army, the first Professor of Mathematics, the first cardinal of the Catholic Church in Nigeria and the first black Miss World among others.

‘’In the media, our people are making positive impacts to the reckoning of the world. Attaining 80 years is a landmark. That is why we are here to felicitate with you and thank you for making us proud. We are here to appreciate God and appreciate you for being a committed son of the Niger Delta. For using your position to bring to the fore the issues that affect our region, we have to appreciate you. Whenever your name is mentioned for sterling contributions to your fatherland, it makes us proud.”

In his remarks at the brief ceremony which also witnessed the presentation of a birthday gift to Amuka, Adefaye noted that Vanguard would continue to serve the interest of the people, particularly, the Niger Delta cause.

His words: ‘’Children of Uncle Sam in Lagos, who have come here to say happy birthday, we are appreciative of your visit. Your gift to Uncle Sam is a fantastic one. We appreciate your presence. More importantly, your inspiring speech is appreciated. We can only make an assurance on behalf of Uncle Sam that what he has set up, the Vanguard, would not die. We will continue to serve the interest of the people, particularly, the Niger Delta cause.”